Mash tempereratures

TroubleShooting

Tom Flanders • Kensington, Maryland asks,

Q

I have read several books and articles regarding mashing grains, but I am still not sure of the cause and effects on final flavor of different mash temperatures. Does a low temperature create a sweet beer? Does a high temperature create a dry beer? The answer to these questions always gets blurred through lengthy scientific explanations. Can you explain the cause and effect of mash temperature to this non-scientific brain?

A

There is more to mash temperature than finished beer flavor. Mash temperature has an effect on wort viscosity and ease of lautering, it affects the gelatinization of starch (“melting” of the bonds